


The Alpha Inside

by NikkiB1973



Category: Twilight (Movies), Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Angst, Drama, F/M, Family Drama, Romance, Supernatural Elements, Teen Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-05-04
Packaged: 2020-01-23 09:23:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18546916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NikkiB1973/pseuds/NikkiB1973
Summary: What if Jacob Black took on the mantle of Alpha right away instead of denying his birthright. How would that change his destiny and the destiny of all those around him?Set in New Moon AU.





	1. The Alpha is Born

** The Alpha Inside **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

** Part One-The Alpha is Born **

_Moving into the morning light was a wolf. He was huge, powerful, his russet fur glossy and thick. His large paws kissed the earth with a lightness that belied his size. His dominant gaze fixed on his target, his sturdy body crouched down, the muscles along his flanks quivering with tension...._

Jacob jerked awake. His body was caked in sweat. He breathed shallowly, his dark eyes wide and piercing in the half dark. It took him a while to compose himself, to calm his racing heart. He was sick with a fever-had been for days-no one was allowed to see him. Every minute of every hour that passed like slow molasses increased his frustration. Whenever he closed his eyes, the large russet wolf was all he could see, all he could feel.

Whispered voices outside his door attracted his attention. One he recognised as his father's, the other belonged to Sam Uley. Jacob scowled, Uley was the last person he wanted to see. It was because of him that he was trapped here, caged like an animal, when all he longed for was to be as free as the red wolf that haunted his dreams.

Jacob's eyes drifted to his window. Outside he could see the darkened silhouettes of the trees being lashed by the wind. That's where he should be-out there in the wild-not boxed up in this small room. His dark eyes glowed with an inner fire as he rose from his sickbed and stood facing the door. The handle turned down, it slowly swung open to reveal Sam's huge body filling the doorway.

An unaccustomed rage filled Jacob's bones. His view of the world twisted and warped. Red seared his vision while his body buckled and twisted as if it was under some strange psychosis. Fire-there was fire everywhere-burning his skin, burning his very soul. Strange voices filled his head. Some he recognised. Some that were alien to him.

But one voice was more dominant than the others-Sam Uley.

_"Calm down, Jake."_

_"You don't get to tell me what to do."_

Jacob was raging like a mad bull in a china shop. His body felt strange, his limbs struggled to obey him. There was noise, confusion. He heard his father's voice calling his name, but it was distant, far away.

_"Outside now."_

It was Sam again, commanding him, ordering him around just like he did to his little gang. The cult of Sam Uley.

With a defiant roar Jacob broke free of the chokehold Sam had on him. He would never obey Uley. He was born to lead, not to follow.

_"Jacob!"_

_"You do not own me. I own you."_

The chains snapped, one by one, he could feel the power inside him vibrating like some wild thing. The tenor of his voice made the beast inside him shiver. It needed an outlet, an escape.

It found one.

A howl-so loud, so vital, so musical in its intent-made the ground shake and the trees shiver. A low rumbling made the earth tremor. The sky turned a brilliant red, matching the russet hues of the wolf's magnificent coat. The human, and the spirit animal that inhabited the most primal part of him, were joined in an endless union.

Jacob could see, hear, and smell everything around him. Everything felt new and fresh. He could feel the trees and plants growing. Mother nature surrounded his soul like a warm blanket. He was a part of it, it made his soul soar, he was free.

In the shadows of the trees more wolfish shapes appeared. An instinctive howl tore from Jacob's throat, but the tone of this cry was different, gentler, more welcoming. It was the call of the Alpha to his pack. Answering howls greeted his call. Together the pack filled the air with their singing. Their hymn, their one song, had no words, but was filled with pure joy.

But one voice was missing. The song was incomplete.

Sam, the lone black wolf, hung back. Unsure. Unwelcomed. His authority was gone, vanquished when Jacob accepted the beast inside and assumed the mantle of Alpha. He watched warily as the new leader of the La Push wolf pack paused in his singing and looked his way. Dark eyes met, silent words were exchanged.

_"Welcome, beta. Do you accept?"_

The black wolf's assent came without hesitation.

_"I accept."_

His authority was diminished, but it wasn't gone. The new Alpha was wise to offer him this olive branch and he was wise enough to accept. Soon his voice was added to his brothers as they celebrated the arrival of their king.

**_A/N-thanks for reading!_ **

 

 

 


	2. Branding

** The Alpha Inside **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

**_A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!_ **

** Part Two-Branding **

The discordant mixture of wolves howling woke Bella from her nightmarish slumber. She shook off the remnants of her troubling dream and focused instead on the strange cacophony of sounds. There was a harshness to their tone-something primal, its haunting undertones was oddly inviting, evocative of the feral wildness that encapsulated such majestic creatures. Their inharmonious singing, beautiful in its stridency, drew Bella to the window. She pushed aside the heavy drapes, letting a shaft of moonlight strike her face, turning her pale skin almost translucent.

The wolves song reached a crescendo, before suddenly falling deathly silent.

Bella trembled as she stared out toward the darkened forest which seemed to stretch out in an endless wave toward the horizon. She could see the eerie silhouettes of the trees closest to the house, standing like silent sentinels, hiding the monsters within its murky confines. Shadows flitted like insubstantial ghosts underneath the thick branches of the guardian trees. She tensed, waiting pensively for something to happen. Bella could feel the undercurrent of electricity surging through her. Holding her breath, she pushed on the window and opened it, leaning out as far as she could to get a better view.

One by one, the biggest wolves that had ever roamed the earth, began to emerge into the moonlight like five canine choreographed dancers. There was an inherent grace to their movements as they loped across the immaculate lawn. The light from the moon peppered their thick fur, highlighting the various hues of red, greys, black and browns. Each wolf was magnificent in its own way, but none was as majestic as their leader-a huge, indomitable male-his red fur glossy and thick.

Bella continued to watch in awed fascination as the Alpha wolf turned and met each of his companions eyes with his own as if in silent command. Slowly each wolf began to drift away, melting back into the shadows of the forest, until only one other remained-a huge black wolf, nearly as big as his leader. His dark eyes were pleading with his Alpha, conveying such a deep seated sorrow that they fairly took Bella's breath away. The emotion he expressed held an intelligence only equalled by humans. If Bella needed anymore proof that these were no ordinary wolves, then this was it.

The Alpha wolf held his brother's gaze steadily. Whatever communication passed between them was broken when the black wolf acquiesced, his whole body bowing slightly in a respectful stance, before he, too, returned to the safety of the forest.

* * *

Jacob gazed up at the beauty staring down at him like some ethereal Juliet. He stepped forward, completely forgetting in his excitement that he was still in his wolf form. He paused, one paw raised, ears perked forward. He wondered what she was thinking. From this distance he couldn't tell. She remained silent, the expression inscrutable on her lovely face. Why wasn't she scared? She didn't seem afraid at all, almost as if she was expecting this to happen.

Then like a statue come to life she was suddenly gone from her post.

Jacob's hearing was so acute that he could hear the soft patter of her feet on the stairs inside the house, including the hitch in her breathing when she accidentally lost her footing on the last two steps, and tumbled onto the floor. A faint curse left her lips as she righted herself and padded across the wooden flooring until she reached the back door. There was a soft click as she turned the latch, followed by creaking as she swung the door open and she stepped outside.

Everything took on a dreamlike quality for Jacob as he watched Bella standing like a goddess on the back porch. Her brown hair, luxuriant and thick, flowed down her shoulders in soft waves. Her luminous eyes were round with curiosity as she stared at him as he if was some figment of her imagination.

Did she think she was dreaming? Is that why she wasn't afraid of him?

Jacob hadn't meant to turn up on her doorstep with the whole pack. As soon as he had exerted his dominance over his brothers they had followed him docilely to Forks. He did nothing to hide his intent. The others could feel what he was feeling. Only Sam argued the wisdom of what he was doing. He, more than anyone, knew the consequences of making a hasty decision. But Jacob silenced his beta with one harsh command. This wasn't a battle between the wolf and the man inside him-both wanted Bella. They missed her. And no one was going to keep them apart any longer-not some ancient treaty that bound him to silence, nor the wrath of the elders because he had exposed the secret to an outsider-nothing.

Bella couldn't even explain what she was doing. It was insane. She was mad. She had to be. Of all the reckless things she had done over the last few months since Edward had abandoned her, this was the most dangerous. A pack of unnaturally large wolves was hidden under the umbrella of trees, watching her every move, while their leader remained visible, his posture proud and unyielding.

Then she was pressed up against an enormous russet figure, her face buried in the shaggy fur of the wolf's shoulder. Her breathing escalated as the seriousness of what she was risking finally sunk in. Something cold and wet nudged her shoulder and she emitted a soft gasp.

"What am I doing?" She murmured in disbelief. "I'm crazy. You're not real. I'm hallucinating."

The russet wolf whined softly and bumped her shoulder gently with his nose.

Bella's liquid gaze landed on him again. The reckless abandon that had driven her toward the huge wolf melted away to be replaced with self-consciousness.

"I've conjured you up in my head." Bella whispered as her hands fluttered nervously in front of her face. "First Edward abandons me-" Her air cut off when she said his name.

The red wolf growled low in his throat. His tail quivered like an angry cats when she mentioned Cullen's name.

"And Jacob is ignoring me. He promised I could count on him, but he left me, too." Bella found her voice again. She drew in a sharp breath when the wolf emitted another growl. She shook her head as if to clear it before swallowing thickly. "You're not real." She continued anxiously, her expression wary. "Are you?"

Her eyes widened and her heart upped its tempo as the enormous wolf circled her in an agitated manner. His dark eyes, like liquid gold, were glowing with a fiery zeal she couldn't quite define. Something she had said had set him off. She suddenly realised what a vulnerable position she was now in. The enormous wolf, so beautiful in his heated intensity, towered over her. Bella backed away, her hands stretched out in supplication in front of her.

"I'm sorry."

Jacob, taken aback by the fear on her face, suddenly came to a decision. He immediately assumed a non-threatening posture, but even that wasn't enough to allay her fears. He didn't move as he searched her face for some kind of recognition. She didn't know it was him. A big part of him had just taken it for granted that she would. It hurt that she didn't.

Bella stopped backing away when she noticed that he had become still. He wasn't snapping or snarling, or growling. He just looked at her with those damn expressive eyes of his-eyes that were too intelligent to belong to an ordinary wolf. She stared and stared into those eyes. There was something familiar about them, they were narrower, larger but....

"Jacob?" Bella's hand covered her mouth as comprehension dawned. "Oh, my god. It's you."

* * *

Her words released Jacob from his physical bonds, and for the first time since turning wolf, he felt able to phase back. He held her shocked gaze for a minute before loping back into the woods. He was gone for only a matter of seconds before he reappeared again, this time as a human, his naked body covered only by a pair of shorts hanging low on his hips. It wasn't long before Bella was pressed against his heated chest, his burly arms wrapped around her in a bear hug.

Jacob's fingers wound into the soft strands of her abundant hair and his grip on her tightened. Lowering his head, he rubbed his cheeks against hers, he breathed her in, letting her soft, sensual smell surround him like a soothing balm. His fingers slid across her shoulder, gliding down her arm until they reached the back of her hand. Bella shivered under his touch, her eyes closing at the physical sensations he was provoking inside her. His thumb grazed the inside of her wrist right where James had bitten her. The slight burn made her eyes pop open and she gazed up at him in trepidation.

Jacob was frowning, his expression stern, his eyes glowing fiercely. "You've been marked by a cold one." He scowled.

Bella cowered under his fiery gaze. "James." She said hoarsely, her eyes lowering as tears of shame coated her thick lashes.

Jacob's fingers tightened in the back of her hair. He encircled her wrist with warm fingers and brought it to his lips. His eyes closed as he kissed the scar, his lips dancing erotically across her sensitised skin. She gasped, swaying on her feet at the pleasurable feelings it aroused inside her. Every nerve ending was stimulated by every brush of his lips. The sensations were almost too much. Fire burned in her veins and she moaned softly.

Then his lips were gone.

Bella mourned the loss of his touch. She gazed up at him in awe. Jacob towered over her, his eyes hooded with lust. He was breathing heavily, every muscle in his body quivering with tension. He was as aroused as she was. It was both shocking and thrilling in equal measure.

"What did you do to me?" She whispered hoarsely.

"I branded you." Jacob said thickly.

Reluctantly Bella tore her eyes away from his and looked down at her wrist. To her amazement the faint silvery scars of James' bite mark had gone.

**_A/N-thanks for reading!_ **

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	3. Small Talk

** The Alpha Inside **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

**_A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!_ **

** Part Three-Small Talk **

Bella couldn't stop marvelling at the smooth skin on her wrist. There was nothing left of the impressions of James' teeth at all. It was a miracle. She gently touched the healed scar with tentative fingers; turning her wrist this way and that as she examined it carefully. It was definitely gone. The only thing left behind was the faint sensation of warmth on that area of her skin.

"I'm dreaming." She said in disbelief as she looked up at Jacob. "None of this is real."

A smile lit up Jacob's face for a moment, reminding her of the carefree boy she used to know. "Does this feel real?" He asked huskily as he placed his hand on the side of her face.

An incredible heat exuded from his palm as it warmed the side of her face. "You are so hot."

"So I've been told." Jacob laughed, finding a grim sort of humour in the bizarre situation.

"And cocky." Bella huffed as a familiar blush burned her cheeks. He had completely misconstrued what she meant on purpose.

"I'd call it confident." Jacob corrected her as he dropped his hand back to his side.

 "If you say so." Bella felt forlorn at the loss of his touch. She tried to hide it by appearing nonchalant. "So is this...um...wolf thing why you've been ignoring me?"

"Wolf thing?" Jacob tried not to laugh again.

"Well what am I supposed to call it?" Bella muttered irritably. "Unless you have some special name for it."

"Shape shifter or werewolf. Whatever you prefer."

Bella's expression clouded as something nagged at the back of her brain. She had heard him use the word shape shifter before, but when? She tried to recollect when it was. Her memories of the last few months were hazy. She had spent so long trying to suppress the past that now she was having difficulty remembering it.

"I know this is a shock for you, Bells." Jacob tugged on a lock of her hair. "But I've gotta say you are handling this like a pro."

"I'm good with weird."

"I suppose you must be after mixing with the Cullens for so long."

Jacob mentioning the Cullens so casually shocked her. Her eyes were suddenly wary. She put some space between them as she waited for the pain to rip her chest wide open whenever she was forced to think about them. But to her surprise she felt nothing but a dull ache. She touched the spot on her wrist where the scar used to be, the faint warmth that exuded from her skin calmed her enough so that she could focus.

"I know everything about them, Bells." Jacob hated that he felt jealous. He hated that even after all this time that Edward Cullen could still hurt her. He resented the hell out of the creature that had ruined her life and had such a negative impact on his own.

"Are you angry with me?" Bella bowed her head. Her long hair slid forward, hiding her face from him.

"I'm not angry at you." Jacob was trying to mask his feelings as best he could. He spoke the truth when he said he wasn't angry at Bella. He was angry at them. Even angry at himself. But never her.

"I couldn't tell you. I couldn't tell anyone."

"I know." Jacob knew that when Edward had left, she considered the Cullens family. She loved them like they were human. Apparently, still did. She couldn't disguise the emotion in her voice when she talked about them, about him. It wasn't just the pain when she talked about him, but how much she cared about the others.

Bella touched her wrist again. The same warmth emanating from the patch of skin had the same calming effect as before. She managed to relax her breathing enough to think more clearly. "You said you branded me. What did you mean by that?"

Jacob's eyes tightened. He felt suddenly restless. His brothers were restless, too. He could hear them milling about in the trees not too far away. He would have to leave soon. There was much to be done. Instead of answering Bella he deflected her question with one of his own. "Do you remember the stories I told you on the beach?"

Bella thought hard for a moment. "About the cold ones."

"I suppose that's the part you would remember." Jacob said bitterly.

"You are angry, aren't you?" Bella whispered sadly.

"Can you blame me?" Jacob stared into the darkness and tried to keep his tone even. "They destroyed you. Not just him. All of them. They left. Somehow, he managed to make them all leave you. It's just another way he hurt you. I _hate_ them, Bella. Not just the way in which I feel my brothers hate them. I know you _love_ them, and I think that makes me despise them even more."

"Jacob." Bella said in despair. "I-"

"Don't." Jacob cut her off swiftly. "Don't you dare defend them."

Bella's eyes opened wide as she stared at him. His breathing had escalated, his eyes were dark, hard. His tone rough with hatred. Finally, she nodded. "Okay." She said in a small voice. Her hand snaked out, small and cool against his. "I want to understand better. Tell me what all these changes mean for you."

Jacob hated that he'd upset her. But even though his words had hurt her, she was still focused on making him feel better. His resentment seeped away and he held her hand, drawing her closer to him. The restless feeling inside him was increasing. As much as he wanted to stay with her, he needed to go.

"You need to leave." Bella guessed when she saw his dark eyes flick to the forest where the other wolves roamed.

"Yes." He admitted reluctantly. "There is much I need to do and learn."

"When will I see you again?" Bella asked anxiously.

"Soon." Jacob promised her. He cupped the back of her head and leaned down to press a light kiss on her forehead. He let his lips linger for a minute before he released her. "Try and remember the stories, Bells. It will help you understand."

"Are you actually giving me homework?" Bella quipped as he began to back toward the trees.

His responding smile was like the sun coming out from behind the clouds. She could see how it came from deep inside to light his eyes and spread into every part of him. It was beautiful. He was beautiful.

It was this image she took with her as she headed back into the house and climbed back into bed. Her eyes closed as soon as her head hit the pillow. Her fingers touched the spot where he had branded her. The soothing warmth radiated from the same place on her wrist as before. It relaxed her body and mind enough so that she tumbled into a peaceful sleep.

**_A/N-thanks for reading!_ **

 

 

 

 

 


	4. Taking Control

** The Alpha Inside  **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

**_A/N-thank you for the kind reviews!_ **

** Part Four-Taking Control **

"My boy." Billy did little to hide the moisture welling in his eyes as he held out his hands towards his son. "I've been so worried about you."

Jacob took his father's hands and hunkered down in front of him. "I'm okay, Dad."

"Are you? Really?" Billy asked uncertainly. He gazed at Jacob, his dark eyes roaming his face anxiously for any signs that he was hiding the truth. "I didn't want it to happen this way, Jake. When you phased-"

"Let's not focus on that." Jacob cut him off swiftly.

"But you must have a thousand questions. Ask me anything. I'll try to answer them." Billy clutched onto Jacob wildly. "I understand if you're angry at me for keeping you in the dark. But it was necessary. I wanted you to keep your innocence for as long as possible. I didn't want you spending your days worrying about what was coming."

"Dad, stop." Jacob said sternly. He carefully disentangled Billy's hands from his own. "Sam has explained a lot to me already. The worst part was being apart from Bella, but now that she knows..."

"What?" Billy's face drained of all colour. "How does she know?"

Jacob withdrew further. He stood up and put some distance between himself and his remaining parent. "She recognised me even as a wolf." He didn't bother hiding the hint of pride in his voice when he spoke about her reaction. "She's good with weird."

"You showed her your wolf?" Billy exclaimed in shock. What Jacob had done was unheard of and extremely dangerous. His hands trembled as he fought for composure. "Sam should have stopped you."

"Sam has no control over me." Jacob roared. He watched his father cower in his wheelchair at the ferocity in his voice, but he didn't care. The Alpha in him forbid anyone to question his authority-even if that person was his own father.

There was a knock on the front door. Jacob called out, and Sam came in, followed by Embry.

"Jared and Embry have found a fresh trail. It's on the north side of the reservation." Sam said directly to Jacob.

"Then we go there now." Jacob glanced at his father again. "We'll talk more when I return."

Sam and Embry obeyed Jacob without question. They left as soon as he had issued his order.

Billy was still stunned at the changes in his son. Jacob was so different. He was no longer the sunny, easy-going teenager that he remembered. That boy had morphed into someone else entirely. Billy didn't recognise the man that now stood before him. Jacob had matured overnight. He exuded authority, the way he carried himself was different. He was totally in control, he seemed to have mastered the wolves hot temperament-it was there, simmering away underneath-but he had a tight rein on it.

"Jake, I'm concerned. This is all happening so fast. Shouldn't you-"

"What?" Jacob said harshly.

"You need to consider what you are doing. It was reckless to go running straight to Bella. I'm surprised that Sam didn't stop you. The elders need to be informed. They will not be happy that an outsider knows about the wolf pack."

Jacob's eyes tightened as he glared in his father's direction. The power emanating from him was palpable. He saw Billy gulp nervously, causing him to stem the tide of his anger. He didn't want to frighten his father, but he needed Billy to know that any decision he made was not to be questioned

"We'll talk later." He ground out. "I'll leave you to smooth things over with the elders. I mean you are still the chief of this tribe, aren't you?"

Jacob saw Billy flinch at his sarcastic rejoinder, but refused to apologise. His father needed to know where he stood. As did the elders. They may offer advice but they had no claim on how he chose to act on it. He said no more but left abruptly before Billy could say anymore.

* * *

_"Give it a break, Paul!"_ Embry's laughter echoed through the pack mind. He was referring to one of Lahote's more salubrious fantasies.

_"Focus, Embry_." Jacob admonished him.

_"Sorry."_ Embry immediately apologised.

_"That's not good enough."_ Jacob's warning was not just for his benefit but the whole pack. " _We cannot afford to be distracted_."

" _Jeez, we've gotta be allowed to have some fun_." Paul muttered. _"Hypocrite much? You're allowed your little fantasies about the vampire girl, but-_

Suddenly his air was cut off as Jacob swiftly pinned him to the ground, his razor sharp teeth biting hard into his windpipe. Paul struggled vainly in Jacob's chokehold but he soon gave up as black spots appeared in front of his eyes. Angrily, Jake released the pressure on Paul's throat and shook him a few times by the scruff of his neck.

_"Never let me hear you call Bella a vampire girl again. Do I make myself clear?"_

_"Yes."_ Paul rasped. He went limp with relief when Jacob finally let go. He lay on his side on the ground, his laboured breathing whistling through his parted jaws painfully.

_"Think, brothers."_ Jacob's voice rang out clearly to the whole group. The other wolves stared at him mutely. _"We need to guard our territory. We have a vicious red headed bloodsucker trying to break through our lines. Others could travel through at any time. We need to be prepared, not distracted by juvenile banter. Save that for your down time."_

Paul was already recovering from the punishment that Jacob had meted out to him. He rose unsteadily back onto his four paws.

_"You take the rear_." Jacob growled at him.

This time, as they continued tracking the scent that Jared and Embry had found, there was complete silence as every wolf focused only on the task at hand.

* * *

The next morning Bella woke from the most restful sleep she'd had since moving to Forks. It was another gloomy day. The sky was overcast-thick grey clouds raced across the sky, blown forcefully by the wind. Even the dull day didn't spoil her good mood. She got up, took a quick shower, then practically skipped down the stairs to start the day.

"Nice to see you smiling for once." Charlie said in surprise when Bella walked into the kitchen.

"Good morning to you, too." Bella refrained from rolling her eyes. Instead she scoured the cupboards searching for the cereal box.

"Don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining." Charlie quickly backtracked."It's just nice to see you happy that's all."

Bella hesitated as she turned to face him. "Sure, Dad. Do you want me to make you some breakfast?" She offered.

"I've already eaten." Charlie stood up and grabbed his jacket.

"Are you going somewhere?" Bella asked in confusion. She was sure it was one of his rest days, unless he was planning another fishing trip with Billy.

"I'm off hunting." Charlie shrugged on his jacket as he spoke.

"What?" Bella felt a cold chill run down her spine. "Why?"

"I told you those hikers we found were killed by some kind of animal." Charlie wondered why she was looking so peaky all of a sudden. "We think it's bears. There have been reports of sightings in the area. So me and some of the guys are gonna take a look. Harry's coming with me." He adjusted the collar on his jacket before reaching for his hat. "You stay inside. I don't want you wondering around in the forest by yourself. No more hiking trips for you and Jake until this bear problem has been resolved."

Charlie was referring to the long hiking trips that Bella had taken Jacob on in her insane bid to find the beautiful meadow filled with wildflowers that held such significance to her and Edward. It all felt like such a long time ago, but in reality had only been a couple of weeks. Nausea made her face pale and she sat down on one of the vacant chairs.

"You feeling alright, Bells?" Charlie asked in concern. "You look kinda peaky all of a sudden."

"I'm worried about you. You should stay home." Bella pleaded thickly.

The sound of a truck pulling up outside interrupted them. "That will be Harry. Don't stress, kiddo. I know what I'm doing."

"Dad, please-"

"Bells, I have a job to do." Charlie chided her gently.

Harry beeped his horn impatiently.

"I've gotta go. See you later." Charlie grabbed his shotgun and left, leaving Bella alone to stew.

**_A/N-thanks for reading!_ **

 

 

 


	5. Vow

** The Alpha Inside **

Disclaimer; all characters and copyright belong to SM.

**_A/N-thank you for the kind reviews on this story!_ **

** Part Five-Vow **

While Embry remained on guard at the Swan's house to protect Bella, the rest of the pack followed Charlie, Harry and the other group of hunters as they scoured the forest for the imaginary bears. On numerous occasions, whenever the group came across a paw print or some other marker that the wolves had been around, Harry managed to distract the others long enough to destroy any evidence.

For the pack it was tiring following the men. They were forced to keep to a slow pace and maintain a discreet distance in order to remain under the radar. Jacob noticed that Charlie was getting suspicious. Unlike the other men, he would pause often, his shrewd gaze darting in the pack's general direction, as if some sixth sense nagged at him that they were being followed. He expressed his concerns quietly to Harry, but once again his friend managed to cover for the wolves and reassure the police chief that he didn't feel there was anything untoward going on.

It was with relief when the hunters finally broke off the search and decided to call it a day. Jacob and the others watched the men pack up their gear, disperse and head on home.

"We need to do the same. We'll do rotating shifts throughout the night. I want two of us patrolling together at all times, and each shift will not last longer than four hours. Lahote, you'll take the first one with me." Jacob ordered.

Paul didn't bother arguing. He knew that Jacob still held a grudge against him for what he had said about Bella. It was just another way for Jacob to exert his authority and continue to punish him. Paul knew when to fight his battles, now wasn't one of them, but he kept his resentment toward his new Alpha bubbling away, ready to confront him when the next opportunity arose.

* * *

Bella lay in bed staring up at the ceiling. She could hear Charlie snoring in the next room.  He had been so tired from the day's activities that he had eaten the hardy meal she had cooked for him, washed up, and the headed straight to bed. Bella was relieved that her father had come home unscathed. When Harry had dropped Charlie off he had given her a pointed look, almost as if he was conveying a silent message. Bella guessed that it meant that Jacob and his new pack must be around keeping watch. She had been doing a lot of thinking while she was alone in the house. She managed to recall the scary stories that Jacob had told her when they walked along the beach together.

"Protectors." Bella rolled the word around on her tongue. She touched the warm spot on her wrist where Jacob had branded her. It felt soothing. She fancied that she could actually hear his voice in her head as he shared the old legends with her-

_"The cold ones are traditionally our enemies. But this pack of cold ones that came to our territory during my great-grandfather's time was different. They didn't hunt the way others of their kind did – they weren't supposed to be dangerous to the tribe. So my great-grandfather made a truce with them. If they would promise to stay off our lands, we wouldn't expose them to the pale-faces."_

Bella was startled back into the present by a light tap on her window. She rolled onto her side, her heart was beating so wildly in her chest, that it threatened to burst through her rib cage. The tap came again-more insistent this time. For one wild second Bella expected to see Victoria's feral face glaring through the glass, her white face surrounded by her fiery red hair. But then sanity returned, Victoria was hardly likely to waste time tapping on the window.

"Bells, it's me. Open the window."

"Jacob?" Bella felt her whole body relax at once. Hastily, she climbed out of bed and hurried to open the window. Unfortunately it was so stiff that she struggled to push it up all the way up. "I can't open it." She whispered breathlessly.

"Step back." Jacob's voice came from the darkness again.

Bella did as he asked. She retreated a few steps and watched quietly as his fingers curled under the wooden frame and shoved the window up the last few inches. Then seconds later he climbed easily through the gap, landing silently at her feet.

"Hey." He said casually as if visiting her room in the middle of the night was an everyday occurrence.

"Hey." Bella echoed him. "You climbed the tree?"

"Uh huh." Jacob smiled in amusement at her obvious question. "The elevator was broken so I came up the old fashioned way."

"Very funny." Bella mumbled as a glimmer of a smile crossed her face.

"So...you remember the stories yet?"

"Yes, Mr Protector."

Jacob laughed as he reached out and captured her hand in his. He drew her closer until her eyes were making eye contact with his bare chest. She tried not to ogle him, but that was difficult with so much impressive flesh on display. Jacob was standing half in shadow, every muscle on his torso clearly defined. He was like a living work of art, she was so tempted to touch his tan skin to see if it was as silky smooth as it appeared. She shuddered under the intensity of her longing.

"Are you cold?" Jacob asked when he saw her tremble.

"A bit." Bella was glad he had given her a convenient excuse to cover up her reaction to his closeness.

"C'mere. I'll keep you warm." Jacob wrapped his burly arms around her and cuddled her against his hot body.

Having her cheek pressed against his heated chest did little to ease the tension inside her. She was having all sorts of strange reactions to him-reactions she couldn't define-or was scared to.

"What have you been doing since I last saw you?" Bella asked to distract herself.

"Tracking Charlie, Harry, and the other hunters. We had to make sure they were safe."

Tears of relief welled in Bella's eyes. "I tried to persuade him not to go, but he wouldn't listen. Thank you for looking out for him."

"He needs to be persuaded to drop the hunt." Jacob's heavy sigh rumbled deep inside his chest. "It's making our job more difficult. With that crazed red head using every opportunity to break through our-"

"Victoria?" Bella gasped. If Jacob hadn't been holding her she would have collapsed at his feet. Black spots appeared in front of her eyes and she felt suddenly nauseous.

"Who?" Jacob let go of her and transferred his hands to her shoulders instead. "Are you alright? You look ill. Are you sick?"

"I'm not sick-I'm scared." Bella explained in a pained whisper.

Jacob ducked his head and gazed deeply into her eyes. "Scared of this Victoria?"

All Bella could do was nod in response. The word scared didn't even begin to cover it.

"So this Victoria is the red head the pack has been chasing?"

"Yes, it has to be her." Bella looked back at him desperately. "You have to stay away from her, Jacob. All of you. She's extremely dangerous-"

"I thought you said you remembered all the stories." Jacob cut in before she got even more hysterical.

"I do."

"Then you know this is what we are made for. We kill vampires, Bells. They may think they are indestructible, but not to us." Jacob stated firmly. His dark eyes gleamed with pride as he spoke, he showed no fear at all, which only worried Bella further.

"Please, Jake, you are new to all this. You don't understand how powerful a vampire can be." She pleaded.

"We took care of the red head's mate easy enough."

"Her mate?"

"The guy with the dreads." Jacob saw Bella's face pale and he frowned.

"Laurent wasn't her mate. He was part of her coven. What was he doing back here? I don't understand. I don't get it." Bella's shaking fingers connected with the brand on her wrist. The soothing heat emanating from the patch of skin calmed her down enough so she could think. "Victoria must have sent him back here for a reason."

"Slow down." Jacob  caught her face , holding it steady in his big hand. "How do you know this Laurent wasn't the red head's mate? Have you come into contact with them both before?"

Bella stared at him miserably as old memories of James' attack began to resurface. She held up the wrist where he had branded her. "The scar you healed was made by Victoria's mate-James."

Jacob's eyes darkened until they were coal black. He stood stock still as Bella haltingly began to explain what had happened to her in Phoenix. She stumbled over her words many times as she talked, her tears spilled over, racing down her cold cheeks in a torrent of water. She felt like she was on trial, being forced to relive the worst night of her life all over again. The memory played out in her head like a horror movie. As hard as she tried to block it out, the scenes scrolled by in her head, charting every horrific thing that James did to her before he inevitably sank his poisoned teeth into the sensitive flesh on her wrist.

"Edward killed James." She whispered.

Jacob crushed her against his body. He held her so tightly that there was no need for Bella to clutch at the gaping hole that ripped through her heart-he kept her in one piece.

"She must be back here for me. Edward is gone. But I'm still here. I don't know if she realises he's gone. Laurent befriended the Cullens-maybe she sent him here to talk to see what he could find out. I don't know whether he reported back to her if your pack killed him. She must be back for revenge. Edward killed her mate, so she'll kill his." Bella swallowed hard. "But she doesn't know that...that things aren't like that with us anymore. Not for Edward, anyway."

"Is that why the Cullens left?" Jacob growled. "Cowards! If they ever dare to come back here I'll kill them." He vowed.

"Please." Bella moaned. "I need you."

"I'm here." Jacob promised as he lifted one hand to cradle the back of her head. "But I'm not going to lie to you, Bells. If he steps one foot back in Forks-if any of them do-I'll revoke the treaty and kill them all."

**_A/N-thanks for reading! Please review._ **

 


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